


Flashforwards and Flash Mobs

by twahtohnedskee



Series: Bookmarked [2]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Bookstore!AU, F/M, Flashmobs, M/M, WIP, Weddings, time skips yay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-09
Updated: 2013-07-09
Packaged: 2017-12-18 06:08:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/876504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twahtohnedskee/pseuds/twahtohnedskee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Arthur, hey.” </p><p>Dom sounded breathless with something Arthur couldn’t quite pin down. Having decided that this call wasn’t one bearing bad news, Arthur went through a mental catalogue of things that could get his best friend to sound this way. One name was at the top of the list. Dom hadn’t sounded this way since he had come up to Arthur during lunch in high school to tell him that he’d asked a certain someone out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flashforwards and Flash Mobs

For the next few months, Arthur found that Eames had become a background fixture in his life. It wasn’t as if they orbited the same social circles but there were enough venn diagram-esque occasions to render them capable of bantering on sight. First impressions, as they often are, were proven quite wrong. Eames, Arthur found, was not very shallow at all. He made an effort to make people believe he was, when in fact, he had more baggage than anyone who laughed so easily should carry around. Arthur, to his credit, proved that he was less a stick in the mud and more just set in his ways (a few of which were surprisingly Bohemian). It was worth the misconception though, for the look on Eames’ face the first time he saw Arthur smoke pot with practiced ease. Still, nothing about being proven wrong sparked anything more than a teasing friendship between them. 

By the time graduation rolled along, everyone was headed in different directions. Mal and Dom had made an effort to “not be one of those couples” and hadn’t discussed where they were going until everything was settled, only to end up in the Architecture program of the same University. Arthur found this particularly hilarious. For his part, Arthur had surprised everyone who was vaguely aware of his SAT score by not picking a Business major in a big name University. Eames, who had never been known for his study habits, had surprised everyone even more by doing just that. Between the four of them, there were many stories to tell about college, none of which however are relevant to this story. So while they all stayed in touch, nothing big happened until much later. 

**6 years later**

Arthur picked up the phone on the third ring, having spent the first two staring at the caller I.D. with mild confusion. 

“Dom?” 

It wasn’t as if they’d lost touch but in a world of instant messaging and e-mails, Arthur had long since stopped expecting calls from people who didn’t want to sell him anything. 

“Arthur, hey.” 

Dom sounded breathless with something Arthur couldn’t quite pin down. Having decided that this call wasn’t one bearing bad news, Arthur went through a mental catalogue of things that could get his best friend to sound this way. One name was at the top of the list. Dom hadn’t sounded this way since he had come up to Arthur during lunch in high school to tell him that he’d asked a certain someone out. 

They exchanged superficial pleasantries but Dom was on the verge of bursting the whole time. Arthur finally decided enough was enough. 

“So,” he said, “what’s the big news?” 

There was a pause on the other end. 

“How’d you know?” 

“Dom, when was the last time you called anyone besides your mother?” Arthur paused at that and added, “You should call her. Say hi for me.” 

Dom was clearly not listening to a word he was saying. That was good, Arthur thought, that meant he was readying himself to tell Arthur whatever this phone call was really about. He waited. 

Then, at almost a whisper, “I asked Mal to marry me.” 

“Oh my god.” 

“She said yes.” 

Arthur wanted to hit Dom through the telephone line. “Of course she did!” 

Dom laughed, sounding of happiness and disbelief. 

“It’s still so surreal,” he admitted. 

Arthur smiled, even though Dom couldn’t see him. 

“Congratulations, Dom,” Arthur said, “You two deserve to be happy.” 

“Thanks,” Dom replied, the smile in his voice was clear as the summer sky. 

They talked more about the wedding-- when it would be, what Mal and Dom wanted. Everything from flower arrangements to a rough guestlist. Arthur was more than happy to listen and give suggestions. Then, nearing the end of their conversation, with stunning casualty, Dom said, “Hey Arthur, will you be my best man?” 

No matter what he did, Arthur couldn’t keep the grin off of his face for the entire day. 

~

He couldn’t have been more involved with the planning if it had been his own wedding. Between himself and the maid of honor, a fiery girl names Asha, the wedding planner didn’t stand a chance. Honestly, Mal wasn’t exactly easy to please either, much less with those two as her lieutenants. Asha was brilliant with colours and Arthur was meticulous with details. Both of them were completely dedicated to making sure that their friends got a wedding as wonderful and amazing as their vows of love were. They held nothing back. Thankfully, in the end, everything was arranged without anyone having to cover up a homicide and everyone was happy. 

The one thing that Arthur hadn’t been involved in was the Bachelor party. Dom, in a fit of inspiration, knew not to trust Arthur with the occasion and instead handed the reins over to Eames, who had volunteered when he heard the news. He had promised “A Night You Won’t Remember” (complete with verbalized capitalizations) and delivered. It was the sort of debauchery that was the stuff of Hollywood movies, right down to the inexplicable aquiry of exotic animals. It was the first time that Arthur had seen Eames in a few years and he was quite glad to find that he’d refused to let college mellow him. 

Eames had thrown an arm around his shoulders with an enthusiastic, “Arthur! You aren’t nearly smashed enough, here take this.” 

“Eames, someone has to make sure Dom gets to his wedding in one piece.” 

“Haven’t you seen The Hangover?” Eames frowned, “You need to be at least twice as drunk as the groom. It’s your duty as best man.” 

He pushed the glass into Arthur’s hands. Arthur sighed and took it. It burned on the way down, but settled pleasantly low in his stomach. Slowly, the loud thrum of music and the sway of bodies seemed a lot more enticing than it had a while ago. He doesn’t remember much else. 

~

The day of the wedding had Arthur placing calming hands on Dom’s shoulders to stop him from pacing. He looked at his best friend steadily. 

“Listen Dom, in less than an hour you are going to marry the woman you love more than anything in the world and you can’t do that if you don’t relax for a second.”

Dom made an effort, that much was clear, but he was still buzzing with nerves and anticipation when he took his place at the altar. He could hardly keep still. His foot was tapping incessantly even as the music started up. 

Then Mal walked through the door. 

Arthur felt a swell of love in his chest as he watched her glide forward, beautiful and ethereal in her white dress. The smile on her face was radiant. With a herculean effort, Arthur turned his gaze away to see how Dom was holding up.

He needn’t have bothered. 

As far as Dom was concerned, there was no one else in the room. Arthur could see the tension bleed away from him, replaced instead with a look of pure awe. Arthur was grinning throughout the entire ceremony, his mood buoyed by the sheer amount of joy radiating from the people he loved most in the world. 

~

As best man, Arthur was required to give a speech. His years of debate, usually so helpful in public speaking, were of no use when the only outline he was going by was his heart. Honestly, in his mind, this didn’t count as public speaking. This was just him telling his best friends how happy he was for them. When he rose to speak, he looked directly at them.  
He talked about how he’d known them since middle school and how he’d never met another pair of people with so much love to give and just as much willingness to give it. He talked about staying up until 4 am the night of their first date because both of them had called him in succession, raving about the other. He told them how people are too ready to throw around words like ‘soul mates’ and ‘destiny’ but that the words wouldn’t exist if they didn’t have a possibility of being true. For him, Mal and Dom were that possibility. He told them how lucky he was to have them in his life-- how glad he was that they were sharing theirs forever. And lastly, because there was nothing left to be said, he told them that he loved them, more than time or age could test, and of course he told them congratulations. 

Arthur raised his glass for the toast scored by enthusiastic cheering, feeling only a bit over sentimental. He sat down, his skin still buzzing from the applause and his heart singing from the image of Mal, tears in her eyes, mouthing “thank you” in his direction. 

"That was a good speech," someone said, from beside him.

Arthur puffed up with pride and turned to Eames. "Thanks."

He was pretty sure he hadn’t placed himself and Eames together on the seat plan but it would seem that Mal still hadn’t outgrown her nosy stage. Arthur didn’t really mind. 

They made small talk, at first, and it was remarkably like that first meeting until Arthur realized he had no idea what Eames was doing now. 

“I’m a Marketing Executive,” Eames replied when he’d asked, “Surprised the shit out of everyone when I landed the job. The pay is pretty excellent.” 

Arthur nodded. He’d done a fair share of surprising people too. 

“So what’s it you’ve been up to?” Eames asked. If he’d diverted the topic from himself too hastily, Arthur took no notice. 

“I’m self-employed,” he said with a smile, “I run a bookshop, a few blocks away from my place. It doesn’t bring in much, but knowing I have something that I love and that’s mine-- it’s amazing.” 

Eames looked away, uncomfortably. “You’re lucky.” 

Arthur tried to ask more about Eames’ work, but the conversation always ended up somewhere else. At some point, Eames excused himself, and rose. Before he left the table he gave Arthur a conspiratorial wink and, having magically pulled a mike from somewhere, started singing. 

_“You’re just too good to be true. Can’t take my eyes off of you.”_

Eames pointed to Mal as he made his way to the cleared space that was to be the dance floor.

 _“You’d be like heaven to touch. I wanna hold you so much.”_

Mal’s eyes were glittering with amusement. Dom looked vaguely confused, as a groom might when someone starts serenading his new wife at their wedding reception. 

_“At long last love has arrived. And I thank god I’m alive. You’re just too good to be true. Can’t take my eyes off of you.”_

Eames shot the couple a cheeky grin and then spun on his heel. The music picked up, more upbeat this time, and suddenly a handful of people were getting up and making their way to the dance floor as well. Snapping and swaying along with the music. 

_“The sight of you leaves me weak. There are no words left to speak.”_

In a loose formation, with Eames at the center, the group started to dance with impressive synchronicity. The choreography was an odd mix of Broadway and 80’s disco, complete with exaggerated hand gestures. It was a sight to behold.

_“You’re just too good to be true. Can’t take my eyes off of you.”_

As more and more people joined in, it finally registered in Arthur’s head: Eames had planned a flash mob. By now he was singing again, in the lead of course. Matching the dancers for every shuffle and turn. 

_“I love you baby, and if it’s quite alright, I need you, baby, to warm my lonely nights. I love you baby. Trust in me when I say.”_

The flashmob extended their hands in Mal’s direction and she let out a delighted laugh. 

_“Oh pretty baby, don’t bring me down I pray. Oh pretty baby, now that I’ve found you stay.And let me love you, baby, let me love you.”_

Eames danced his way to the main table and offered his hand to Mal. She accepted and he pulled her to her feet, leading her to the still-growing group. He gave her a spin before returning to their table to try and grab Dom. 

The song was back to instrumentals and the people in the flashmob were dancing around Mal taking turns twirling and dipping her. Eames was testing his mettle trying to get Dom to dance. He relented however, when Mal came sashaying back and pulled him reluctantly to his feet. 

By now there was only a minute of the song left and the flashmob continued around the couple, who had started swing dancing in the middle. Those who weren’t in on the flashmob were clapping along and taking videos. The energy was infectious. 

_“You’re just too good to be true.”_ Eames crooned, as the song finally came to an end. 

They finished as dramatically as they began, each of the original dancers striking leveled poses around the couple (There were more Jazz hands than are probably socially acceptable). Mal gave Dom a quick kiss and the whole reception burst into applause. 

When Eames returned to the table, divested of his suit jacket, Arthur deadpanned, “Thanks for warning me so I could fit it into the program.” Eames laughed, cracking Arthur’s facade. 

“Well, wouldn’t have been much of a surprise then, would it?” 

There were no more unplanned performances that night. The reception ended and the lovebirds retired to go and enjoy their first moments alone as a married couple. They both hugged Arthur on their way out. Eames and Arthur exchanged numbers, promising to do better at keeping in touch now. Arthur told Eames that if he was ever in the neighborhood, he should drop by the shop. Eames never got around to it until months later. And that was where the story really began to take shape.

**Author's Note:**

> So this took longer than expected, my apologies, but I hope you guys like it anyway.  
> (Happy birthday, Kara!)


End file.
